When Wisteria Lane Freezes Over
by daviid
Summary: Hell hath no fury like seven new characters. Wisteria Lane welcomes David, Lauren, Cassy, Helen, Olivia, Grant and Hafid to the small suburban town. R
1. Introduction

The day began like any other, Bree collected her paper, Lynette took the children to school, Gabrielle left the house for a day of modelling, Edie dressed in her best suit to score a sale and Wisteria Lane once again lay dormant.

All except for Susan Mayer who casually arose from the slumber at around nine am and pulled open the curtains. To Susan's confusion, not one but to removal vans were pulling up outside seperate houses. The homes in question were recently sold but lay empty for several months after this.

Susan dressed herself looking presentable but not giving the impression she had gone to much effort and skipped across the street to 'casually enquire' about her new neighbours.

"Hey I'm Susan" she chirped to the young man stood by the white picket fence.

"I'm David, pleased to meet you" he replied, unsure whether to feign a smile or run.

"I live across the street, with my daughter Julie"

"I just moved here with my wife Lauren, and our two children, Olivia and Grant. My sister-in-law and her wife moved further down" David explained.

"Her wife?!" Susan's face contorted, clearly finding it difficult to comprehend.

"Yes, problem?" David snapped.

"No, no."

Luckily for Susan a smiling ginger girl in a long red coat appeared to her left, breaking the tension that was obvious between them. Unluckily for Susan, that smiling ginger just happened to be the subject of the previous conversation.

"Hey, I'm Helen." She beamed at her new neighbour.

"I'm Susan Mayer, I live just across the street." She replied.

"Cool." Helen was clearly out of conversation topics.

In all her wisdom Susan decided to think of a topic and began to dig the hole it would take her years to get out of.

"Did you hear two lesbians moved in?!"

The clock hit five pm and so Fairview began to return to a bustling community. Gabrielle was the first to arrive home in her Lamborghini. She stepped out of the car to see a large, black SUV parked across the road, with a persons shadow identifiable behind the tinted windows.

She was instantly curious and began to walk over, handbag under arm.

As she grew closer to the vehicle the door opened and out stepped a tall African boy, who ignored the well dressed woman to his side and ran over to the Scavo family's hedge, kneeling.

Gabrielle persistently followed the unknown man and pulled him to her height by his ear.

"Just _what_ do you think you're doing?!" she sneered.

"I watching my friend" he replied, clearly not in an American accent.

"And why?!"

"I love her, I'm here to surprise her" beamed the boy in a slightly homicidal manner.

"Well get over there and talk to her!" Gabrielle pushed the boy towards the removal vans direction and spun on her heel returning to the safety of her home.

With his new found confidence the young man marched over to Helen still busying herself with a box marked 'KITCHEN'. She turned and faced him, dropped the box then ran towards her new house. An arm grabbed her grounding her to a halt.

"**HELEN ITS HAFID!"**


	2. Meeting The Newbies : Lauren

The ball rolled across the freshly cut lawn as the sun rose on Wisteria Lane. Olivia and Grant were out passing their soccer ball to each other, waiting for their mother to take them to school.

Lauren Hunter stepped out of her new suburban home and pressed a button attached to her vast array of keys, opening the garage door. Another button turned the off the alarm on her Porsche off. Two orange flashes from the car caught the attention of the two children momentarily before their focus returned back to their ball.

Lauren Hunter was an attractive woman at the fresh age of twenty eight. Her long brown hair was elegantly pulled back in a bun and her face shaped with the obviously layered fringe. Blue eyes sparkled under a heavy lining of mascara and eye liner that gave her the smoky look most girls could never achieve - most of hers was natural to the unusual mix of blue and grey that most of the females in her family had. Her cheekbones were wanted by models and looked sexy with their bronzed blusher. She sighed as she walked towards the children, struggling over the glass in expensive Jimmy Choos.

Lauren had made her name in the biscuit empire. Hunter's Delight was almost every American's dream biscuit and she'd started back in the small kitchen she once shared with her older sister. A light shortbread covered in lush marmalade (made only from fresh oranges) with a rich chocolate coating. This had branched off and there was now several factories and several other biscuits in the Hunter's line.

She ushered the two children into the cramped backseat of her sportscar - maybe it was time to get a family car - and began her routine drive to Fairview Elementary School. As she stopped at a 'STOP' sign, an elderly man started to cross the road. Falling directly in the front of her car.

Groaning she climbed out of the car, leaving the keys in the ignition and the kids in the back, before moving round to help him. "Are you okay, sir?" She asked bending down to take hold of the man.

A hand grabbed her hair from behind, pulling her back against their muscular body as they pulled her onto her feet. Panic seared through her body as she spun on her heels to face her attacker.

The woman tried to fight against him, the heels of her hand slamming against his shoulders. The guy had gorgeous eyes and they seemed so warm and caring. Even as he held onto her tightly, his hand delivering a powerful slap around her pretty face, all she could focus on was that the man was wearing Hugo Boss.

Shrill screams caused her to look up and saw a bigger man holding her children. One under each arm. "Grant! Olivia!" She screamed struggling against the man's body as she watched them get thrown into the back of a white car. Olivia's high pitched scream caused shudders to run down her body. "They're my babies! Somebody help me please!"

Another slap was delivered to her face and a leg behind her ankles causing her to fall to the floor, her head meeting the concrete. Her eyes started to blur as she watched the other man climb into the seat of her Porsche and drive off with it.

"My babies…" She weakly croaked as the white van screeched away, her hand falling down to the floor as she blacked out.

Julie Mayer, daughter of Susan Mayer, sighed as she walked down the street before noticing the woman lying on the floor, her head bleeding and the heels to her right shoe snapped off. "Oh my God." She whispered running over and recognising it as their new neighbour. "Mrs Hunter?" She asked shaking her gently before looking around. It was normally this time of morning when she had her children about. Sighing, she pulled out her cell phone and rang for an ambulance.


	3. Meet The Crowd

BRRIINNNNG!!

The alarm rang and he groaned as he turned over.

David Hunter wasn't the waste of space everyone viewed him as. He just didn't have the up and go normal people had to keep a job. He had a secret wealth behind him and he knew he didn't need to work but he hated bragging his wealth. And that's why he'd decided to take a job at Scavo's Pizza. Lauren had been so excited when he'd told her, even more when it meant she'd made friends with Lynette Scavo.

He sighed as he threw back the duvet covers, his hands reaching up to cover his tired eyes as he pressed his hand down on the clock so that the alarm would stop ringing.

He was an attractive man with dark hair and misty blue eyes. An unusual combination but rather handsome at the same time. He always had a different expression on his face. Moody, happy, depressed… You name it, his face showed it. He had a fashionable wardrobe that clung to his annoyingly thin frame. He was a tall man that towered enormously over his smaller wife but they didn't care, she fit in perfectly in the curve of his arms - they were made for each other.

Climbing out of the bed, he pulled on his grey jog pants that rested low on his hips as he started to move down the stairs. His toned chest on show as he spotted Susan Myer running across his lawn, her arms wrapped around her stomach as she banged recklessly on his door.

"Susan, what the hell is wrong?" He said opening the door, ignoring the grumblings in his stomach that shouted at him to take food.

"It's Lauren…" She gasped leaning against the door, out of breath.

"What's happened to Lauren?" He said suddenly afraid at the look in Susan's face.

"She was in an accident." He cursed as he moved back into the house, searching for a shirt. "Wait, David, that's not it all." David turned back to look at her, his eyes widened in fear. "The kids…" Susan took a deep breath. "The kids were kidnapped."

The carpet opened up underneath David's feet. A gaping hole to suck him in.

***

The ginger woman walked down the empty school corridor, the bag heavy on her shoulder as she moved towards the drama department. Today was her first day as the drama teacher in the large college. It was a daunting thought but nothing ever scared Helen that much.

She sighed as she opened the doors to the theatre.

Today she wore a tight brown tee shirt that showed her amazing cleavage, a green skirt that was jagged at the end with knee high brown boots. Her ginger hair was loose overher shoulders. She looked fresh and young. Ready to face the world and she was.

In the bag was her second unfinished novel. Her publicist wanted it to be in by the end of the month so in any free time she was going to sit down and write. Helen's genre was romantic crime and the odd twisted screenplay that she hoped one day would be showed on stage. The kind with a murderous case and the detective always falls in love with the lead suspect or the next murder victim. Her favourite kind of book as a child and she was now an author to one. It was in the top ten and she was thrilled with the idea.

"Helen!" The senior drama teacher said holding out his hand and shaking hers. Helen smiled as she tucked her fringe behind her ears.

"Good morning, Neville. It's great to have been accepted!"

"You and Miss Thompson proved to be our best applicants." Helen smiled at the mention of her partner.

***

Cassy Thompson moved down the corridor at the other end of the building, her nerves doubled because she knew Helen would be calm as pie. Cassy always felt Helen's emotions. That was probably why they'd stuck so close to each other. Helen liked to know when she was afraid or angry.

She had been accepted as an English lecturer. She'd been thrilled with the idea at the time before realising she really had turned into her mother and was starting to get second ideas about the whole thing. She sihged as she walked into the classroom that had been designated as hers.

She laughed as she noticed on the shelf was a copy of Helen's book and a copy of her own horror. It wasn't a shock that the two of them had became writers and teachers. It was probably the only things they had in common but Cassy knew that no matter what, she and Helen would remain close through the years.

Cassy was a short woman with elfish characteristics. Helen always thought that the way Cassy's dyed black hair sat around her ears was a hint to what Cassy was in a previous life. She had dark clothes on and knew that her students would find her weird but she didn't care.

She set down her bag on the table. Her hands trembling with nerves as she heard a bell ring.

The NCIS ringtone started in her pocket and she jumped. Who the hell could be ringing her?

What did David want?

***

**Feedback always appreciated**

**=]**


	4. Crowds Reaction

The three friends stood in the corridor, their heartbeats racing as they saw Lauren lying on the bed with all the tubes attached to her. There was a bandage around her head to stop the bleeding that had happened due to the cut she'd received from falling on the floor.

Helen reached forward and took hold of David's hand before closing her eyes, saying a small prayer – a small thing that Lauren and Helen had both done as children. She looked up at David, smiling weakly.

"Everything will be okay."

"How can you say that Helen?"

"Lauren is a fighter, David. We all are." Helen whispered squeezing his fingers again before sighing.

"Her main worry will be the disappearance of the children."

David commented looking down at Helen and laughing before wrapping his arms around her shoulders, pressing a kiss to her temple.

"Who could have done this, David?" Cassy whispered, the tears obvious in her voice.

Helen held her hand out so that Cassy could take hold, her eyes filling with tears as she thought of her baby sister being beaten so that some bastard could steal her children.

"I really don't know."

"I mean, she was just going to work."

"I don't know Cassy!"

The woman's persistence made David punch the window, his hands remaining there in clenched fists. Helen let go of Cassy and took hold of his hands in hers, bringing them to her lips to kiss them gently.

"Stop it."

"I could have lost her, Helen."

"You've lost no one."

"Apart from my children."

"We'll find them!"

***

The women had all gathered on Gabriella's front porch. It was a warm summers day so they'd thought hiding away inside had been pretty stupid. They'd whisked up some Margarita and planned to start drinking soon while eating the delicious treats Bree had whisked up. But first they were focusing on the news that had gone round the street.

Lauren Hunter had been beaten this morning and her kids abducted.

"Who do you think would do such an awful thing?" Bree asked looking around at her friends.

"I just hope the police find them and shoot them." Lynette Scavo said violently and everyone understood this due to the twins being about the same age as Lauren's children. Susan leant over and took hold of Lynette's hand.

"The police will find the children and punish the ones who did it."

"Do you think it could have been that Hafid guy?" Edie suddenly spoke up causing everyone to look at her.

"Edie, you can't just accuse people!" Bree said shaking her head as she looked out over the yard again to the little house that Hafid had bought on the far end of the road.

"Why ever not? He's always sniffing around that family and has a huge thing for the ginger lesbian, maybe it's his way of making them suffer."

"Her name is Helen, Edie." Susan snapped angrily before moving forward and pouring herself a drink. "If he loves her he wouldn't do that."

"Okay." Edie said sitting back in her chair, a small smile on her face because she knew all the other housewives were now thinking about the possibility that it had been Hafid that had put Lauren in intensive care.

***

Unknown to them, the man of their thoughts was about to go jogging past. He stopped at their gate and waved to them. "Afternoon ladies." None of them smiled back. "Ever heard of being polite?" He teased running a hand over his swearing brow before noticing their sullen faces. "What's wrong?" He said panicking now.

"Hafid…" Gabby stood up and moved down to the fence, the other housewives following her. "Lauren was rushed to hospital this morning."

"What?" He shouted before looking over at the house a few moments before returning his attention to the housewives. "Why?"

"She was attacked." Susan whispered.

"What about the children?"

"Abducted." Bree filled in for him, noticing how his face had started to crumble.

"That can't be. They were out playing in the garden this morning, kicking the ball to and fro…"

"We know. We could hear them." Edie said through gritted teeth causing Lynette to gently elbow her in the side.

"How is David?"

"We don't know." They all said before hearing the slow drone of an engine and saw David's car drive up. Helen was driving.

"Their first day here as well." Bree said on a sigh, her head shaking.

"It's just another day on Wisteria Lane." Gabby filled in watching as Helen climbed out of the car, her boots catching on her skirt causing her to growl as she moved down to unhook it. Her hands moving back her ginger hair as she slammed the door shut before moving to open the door for David.

Wasn't everyday you saw your new male neighbour in tears.


	5. Underlying Secrets

The couple moved inside the house, Helen moving David to the couch where they both sat together staring into space as they thought over the situation. Helen's right hand aggressively rubbed against her left as her breathing appeared to be heavy before she looked over at him.

"How did they find us?" She whispered, her lips unsmiling and her eyes wide as she shook her head. "It's impossible they found us, David."

"There isn't any evidence that it was them!"

"No that's true but I'm not believing that Lauren is the prime target in a beating and a kidnapping. It doesn't go." She argued sighing as she ran a hand through her loose ginger hair, her teeth starting to nibble on her thumbnail. "We didn't hide very well, did we?"

"How do you mean?"

"Hafid found us…" She laughed. "They could have found us just as easily."

"Helen, they had no business left with us."

"For as long as Lauren is alive they'll have business with us, David." She confirmed before taking one deep breath, her hands shaking as she rubbed her face.

"And now they have our children."

"God, how frightened our babies must be…" Helen whispered covering her mouth with her hand as her eyes closed and tears threatened to fall again for the millionth time that morning.

"They'll be okay." He promised taking hold of her hand, pressing a kiss to her temple. "We'll find them."

"And kill them." Helen said sourly glaring at him before looking back down at the floor, where he moved to look too.

"Helen we left that business…"

"To save the children and look where it got us."

David looked over at her again, his eyes wide open with fear as he heard the familiar venom and hatred in her voice. There was only rare occasions she used that voice and there was only one consequence when she used it. Helen was the cold type. She had no compassion for her victim but did a beautiful show for the victim's family. There would be now way in heaven the case would be pulled back to her. She was the only strong one. She had been able to keep it secret from Cassy and Hafid over the years she'd allowed herself to get close to them.

"Helen..."

She looked back up at him, her jaw set in determination as she listened to the desperation in his voice.

"You can't talk me out of it this time, David. I should have done it years ago."

***

Hafid knocked on the door, his hands shaking as he thought of what kind of mess Helen would be in. What kind of mess David would be in! They were all too close for something like this to happen and not have a devastating effect on them.

Helen's head whipped round to look at the door, "It'll be one of the women."

"Just tell them to go away." David said moving to lie down as Helen rose from the couch, his arm covering his eyes.

She felt such emotion for him as she moved to the door, already preparing a lot of lies to tell them that they weren't welcome before smiling at the sight of Hafid.

"Helen…" He breathed as she opened the door.

"Oh, Hafid…" She cried stepping out of the door and accepting his embrace, her face burying into his neck as she let her tears fall. "Why would anyone do this to us?"

"Everything will be okay, I know it will." He promised running his hand gently up and down his back, his lips brushing against the long ginger hair.

"You can't promise that. No one can promise that!" She wept causing him to push her slightly away, his fingers taking hold of her chin before pressing a light kiss to her trembling lips.

"No, no one can but yourself. You'll find them." Helen smiled at him before hugging him again.

She didn't even care that she was being watched. She didn't care that she shouldn't be holding him so close and wishing that he'd protect her. She'd ran away from him because he'd got possessive but she couldn't help it.. She needed him because Cassy was useless at things like this.

***

The housewives watched their transaction with utter amusement. Gabby's lips pursed as her head tilted slightly to the right. There was something about the way Helen held onto Hafid that made Gabby realise that Hafid wasn't in a dream when he believed that him and Helen had a chance. There was definitly something between them. Something hot.

"Wow, I can see why he loves her. There is definitely chemistry." She commented turning to look at her fellow housewives.

"Hello, she's a lesbian!" Susan shook her head before sighing. "Some people confuse me."

"That's not a shock to us, Susan." Edie commented gently before heading off in the direction to her house.

"It's such a shame about everything they've been through." Bree said softly shaking her head. "I think I'll cook the poor man some stew."

Everyone watched Bree leave knowing that nothing they said would stop her from doing it. Bree always believed that someone needed something solid in their abdomen.

Lynette moved forward and sighed as she looked over at the action. "I hope to God they find the children soon because I don't think this street could do with any more misery."

"They've just moved in and I feel heartbroken." Susan gushed, her hand actually holding onto her chest as if she was trying to hold tight onto her heart to stop it aching.

"It's a shame we can't do anything."

"Gabby, we could always make them feel better. Have them over for food sometimes."

"Susan, have you tasted your cooking?"

"I meant to Bree's."

"I bet she'll have them over tonight." Gabby commented sighing. "They're such nice people too."

***

All they wanted back was Lauren. It's what there job was. They realised that attacking her had been a bad mistake. It went against the plan they had created. They were just to abduct the children so then Lauren would sacrifice herself for the lives of her children. That was the problem with them three. Family was everything. That's why they'd ended it with the business.

Lauren and Davidd didn't want to hurt the kids. They wanted the sweet family life with the "real" jobs that looked respectable in the new area they'd moved to.

Helen moved away with her lesbian lover and took a simple job as a drama teacher. She had the right skills. She had that eccentric personality you expected in a drama teacher.

It had been Hafid that had led them to her. They'd known he'd obviously follow Helen to the end of the world. Hell, the man had moved from Africa just to be with her. Why wouldn't he change locations in America just to be close to her?!

"They'll come running soon."

"Let's hope so. I hate children." The harshest guy said and the softer guy noticed the flexing of his fingers on the gun that he had laid across his lap and he understood the motion. He understood alright.

The ball was never going to leave their court...

***

The two kids struggled in their restraints as they glared angrily at the two men who had took them.

"When my daddy finds you…" Grant hissed at the man but this just made the man laugh as he knelt down in front of him, ruffling his hair.

"That's what we're waiting for kid." He laughed. "When daddy comes looking, he'll die."

The two kids absorbed the words before Olivia eventually started crying, Grant took hold of her hand.

Daddy would save them.


	6. Dinner Invitation

David sighed as he sat down at the couch, his hands running through his hair as he watched Helen and Cassy talk over at the kitchen table. He could see that Helen wanted to be somewhere else. She'd spent most of the afternoon with him and David knew that's because she loved being with him. The happiness had been blatant when she'd stepped back into the house but it had quickly evaporated as she realised she needed to take care of David.

A knock at the door stopped their thoughts as they slowly turned to look at the door. Helen turned to look at David and he looked straight back at her.

Was this them?

Helen stood up, sorting out her top, and moved over to the door pulling it open. David watched as she let out the air that she'd been holding in.

"Bree! What a lovely surprise." She said fakely opening the door and letting the woman in.

"Afternoon, Helen. I'm here to talk to David."

Helen had already voiced a hate towards the redheaded woman due to how bright her hair was when hers was a pale shade of ginger that looked less glamorous. She rolled her eyes as she moved over to sit back with Cassy, leaving David to talk to Bree.

David indicated for the woman to sit down, noticing that she was holding a pot of what smelled like stew. How do you tell a kind woman that only Cassy eats stew and she wouldn't eat a pot that big? He smiled at the irony that that was his only thought running through his mind.

"How may I help you Bree?"

"You must be so upset about what happened today."

"That's a good guess." David muttered in his usual sarcastic tone. Bree, however, didn't bat an eyelid because she understood how he was feeling. She had felt like this when Andrew had disappeared.

"I mean, you have no wife to cook you amazing dinners anymore. So I thought I'd bring you some stew."

David smiled wryly as he accepted the bowl that she held out and could feel Helen looked at him, knowing that she was close to tears at the idea someone had brought them stew! Her worst enemy.

"It just needs popping in the oven to heat up and then you can have what you want with it."

"Good old fashioned mash potato and cabbage." Helen commented moving over and taking hold of the stew dish, not noticing the appalled look that Bree wore on her face.

"Ignore her. She isn't the cook of the house." David said wryly knowing that he would kill Helen when Bree left for showing them up like that. She'd already learnt that Bree was the famous cook of the area.

"I guessed." Bree said softly smiling. "Okay, the second part of my visit is to invite you three to dinner one day."

"Oh that's lovely." Cassy said moving over and standing behind the couch, her hand lightly squeezing David's shoulder. "You bet we'll be there."

Bree smiled brightly, "I was hoping you'd say that." She stood up, straightening her shirt before smiling again. "Tonight, seven o clock?"

"I was going to go visit Lauren…"

"You can go afterwards. It will make you feel better."

"Me and Cassy will come. David is better off at the hospital with Lauren in case she wakes up." Helen said in tone dripping with authority that Bree immediately guessed she used in the classroom. There was also a cold glare in her eyes indicating that if Bree dared challenge what she'd just said then there would be hell to pay.

"That's a glorious idea." Bree smiled brightly. "I can put David's meal in the oven for when he comes back."

"Fantastic." David said brightly standing up and taking Bree over to the door. "Thanks for coming Bree." He said opening it and waving at Susan Mayer who was stood out in her lawn watching the house. She shyly waved back.

***

Bree walked over to Susan and sighed. "Helen is a little more tart than I imagined."

"Pardon?"

"She's cold. I don't know why people are falling over themselves to be with her."

Susan sighed as she looked over at the house, her arms crossed over her chest to protect herself from the light breeze that was blowing.

"To be fair Bree, her little sister has been rushed into hospital and her niece and nephew was kidnapped."

"I know but we're branching out to her, trying to make them feel that everything is okay and they're just coldly pushing us away."

"Most people don't like people interrupting their lives. You are one of them."

Bree sighed as she realised that Susan was right. They needed time to themselves and tonight, they were going to get that.

"You and Mike are invited to the meal I'm having tonight."

"Oh?"

"Well how else are we going to get to know our new neighbours."

***

Gabby sighed as she linked arms with Hafid, her head resting on his shoulder as she listened to him talk longingly about Helen.

"She's a complete bitch to everyone but when you get to know her, she's…" He stopped talking and Gabby looked up at him.

"Why are you in love with her when you know she's engaged to Cassy?"

"They're married. But she was in love with me first. I don't know why she left me for Cassy. It hurts me just thinking about it." He sighed as he looked at Gabby.

"She probably had her reasons."

"Probably." He agreed silencing as he heard her phone ring. He listened as she said the odd yes and no before watching her hang up.

"We have a dinner party tonight. Bree's house."

Hafid sighed. Bree was an annoying woman to him. She was too dominant and too perfect. He looked at her.

"That'll be fun."

"Don't lie, i can see the fear in your eyes." She taunted before starting to move again. "What do we buy our guest?"

"Arsenic." Hafid teased making her laugh.


	7. Dinner

That night, Helen stood in her bedroom that she shared with Cassy and she looked at herself in the mirror before realising that they should never have moved to this beautiful street. She started at her reflection and saw the fat girl that had once resided there. Even now as she looked a healthy size sixteen (a size fourteen in some boutiques) she still could see that chubby girl that had hidden away behind her bulimia.

Her long ginger hair was curled and she was wearing no make up because of her allergies. The tight green dress clung to her now flat stomach and pushed up her impressive cleavage to give her that confidence she needed as she added the silly heart necklace Hafid had given her years ago. Biting her lip, she slid her feet into the white shoes and added her white beaded bracelets before turning round and smiling at David, who had just entered her bedroom.

"You look nervous."

"I'll be rubbing elbows with the pretty thin women down in that house and it's scaring me."

"You look amazing, Helen. Those women won't believe what you once looked like." She looked at the mirror and laughed.

"Sometimes I wish I was still that chubby girl. That chubby girl wouldn't have got herself into as much trouble."

"It was the loss of weight that gave you the confidence to do everything, Helen. It was the best decision we ever made and you know it."

"I know and that's what scares me, David." She whispered truthfully before turning to look at him. "You go keep an eye on my sister. I'll square up the neighbours and find out each ones will probably cause us problems."

"There is only one person in the world who can cause us problems but you know how to keep him under control."

"Sex isn't the answer."

"It is with him." David whispered as a response before kissing her forehead, just moving away as Cassy entered in a horrible baggy black dress that would have made Lauren cry if she'd have been around.

"Are you ready to go?"

"Always." Helen said raising her eyebrows at David before squeezing his hand smiling. She left the house behind Cassy.

***

Everyone was crowding in Bree's living room having a drink and a chat with the gorgeous aromas of Bree's cooking filling their noses as they tried to imagine what she was playing at. Everyone was curious about their new neighbours but they all knew that Bree had never really been on to put her nose into someone else's business because she personally knew what it felt like to have someone get involved.

"Do you think they'll even turn up?" Edie asked as she sucked on the cherry that she'd pierced with her cocktail stick. She was unaware of how she was naturally flirting with Hafid and he wasn't even paying attention. It would eventually annoy her but she was going to let that slide for now.

"I'm sure they will. I mean, you can't move into a street like this and not join these kind of things because you'll be hated!" Susan cried taking a quick drink of her whiskey not wanting to think of the bad impression she and Carl had made on this street with all their arguing!

"Oh, they'll come. Helen loves a party." Hafid said with a warm smile on his face as he looked around the group of women. Hafid had came with Gabby which the women were sure would annoy Carlos but that didn't appear to bother her as she kept her hand on the nook of his elbow.

"Everyone loves a party though!" Gabby said laughing as she flicked back her hair and smiled at him. The women could see the flirting and couldn't help but smile as Hafid flashed her a polite smile before turning to look at the other women.

The doorbell rang and Bree moved out of the kitchen quicker than anyone had thought possible. She looked absolutely amazing in a grape roll neck jumper and a cream skirt with cream heels. It was amazing that she never got food down her outfit.

Throwing open the door, she held out her arms and threw them around Helen who quickly moved out of them, only offering a small gracious smile. "Bree!" She cried. "Thanks for having us over. We brought a bottle of wine as a token of our gratitude."

"That's a really sweet thought." Bree said with a huge fake smile on her face that made the other girls stare at her in confusion.

"What the hell is wrong with Bree?" Lynette said through clenched teeth as she was also holding a fake smile out to the two women that had arrived.

"Beats me." Susan said in the same way as they moved over to the door and smiled at the two women. Helen immediately moved to hold out her hand to Susan.

"I hear its thanks to your daughter someone managed to get to Lauren in time. I am forever grateful." She said before taking Susan into a hug and holding her close. Susan was shocked at first but was immediately warmed by the woman's compassion that she found herself hugging her back, her eyes wide open as she looked at the other women.

"Helen, you're here to have a good time tonight!" Bree reprimanded before moving into the kitchen.

***

Lynette and Susan followed Bree into the kitchen. "Okay, what's with the hostility?"

"What hostility?" Bree asked brightly as she took down some fresh glasses for the two new arrivals.

"Bree… You're doing your fake smile thing when you talk to them so that means you are hiding something from them and are too busy distracting yourself on that than you are working on being a good hostess!" Lynette pointed out before smiling at Katherine who had just entered the kitchen to ask if there was any help required.

"Okay, I think that there is something go off between the lot of them and I just want to find out."

"How do you mean?"

"Well Hafid told Gabby that Helen was a really friendly person who everyone loved to be around but then something happened that got her really snappy and on edge. Then not only do they move here, miles away from their old home, and then Lauren is attacked and their children kidnapped. No one else find that a little strange!"

"Bree Hodge, you are starting to sound like Edie! This is the kind of controversy she would pin up on our new neighbours. Shame on you!" Susan cried out before looking over at Katherine. "Do you believe any of this?"

"No. I believe they're just a group of four that are trying to start a new life here in this beautiful street and you guys are making it hard by trying to pry." She looked over at Bree. "Their two children were abducted this morning, Bree, cut them some slack. Especially if you want them to like you after this dinner party."

Bree just grumbled before sighing. "Fine."

***

They were all sat at the table laughing and Helen was looking over at Hafid, a small smile on her face when someone started to click, catching her attention. "Helen, you've wrote a book before!" Lynette said astounded as she realised who she was after listening to the two girls explain their careers.

"I have. It's not one of my best but it got a wide audience."

"You don't look big enough to be writing romantic crime books." Carlos commented looking over at her.

"It's not about your size its about your knowledge."

"What knowledge would you have about crime?" Mike asked as he kissed Susan's temple, his arm rested over the back of her chair in an almost protective manner.

"Everyone has a secret knowledge about crime, Mike. Some of us decide to embrace it while the others shun away from it as if its something to be afraid of."

"You admitting you're a criminal?" Edie said causing the rest of the table to explode with laughter. The only person not laughing was Helen.

"Criminal isn't a word you should throw around lightly in a conversation, Edie. I mean, everyone here has to have commited a crime somewhere along the line. No one is straight edged as they like to believe."

That little speech was met by a stunned silence through the crowd and Helen mentally cursed as she realised she'd spoke too soon. There was a light knock on the door and David's face peeped round.

"I hope I'm not disturbing anything."

"Not at all!" Bree jumped up, thankful for the distraction because she knew everyone was now intrigued about Helen's past and she didn't want Helen feeling too uncomfortable at a dinner table because that was just wrong.

"What were we talking about?" David asked as he accepted the spare seat next to Tom Scavo, who offered him a haste handshake before turning back to look at Helen.

"Helen was just telling everyone about how everyone is a criminal at heart." Cassy said placing her hands into her lap knowing that David would now just laugh. And he did.

"Oh, Helen. Which one asked about your book?" He said making it sound as if it was an everyday thing. "You guys shouldn't worry about Helen being a criminal. She doesn't even like to litter, let alone murder someone or anything."

He made a mental note to talk to her when he got home.

***

Everyone had started to leave because they had sitters. David helped Bree carry everything back into the kitchen because she'd requested for him too.

"David?"

"Yes, Bree."

"Is Helen always that weird at dinner parties?"

"She knows how to make an impression, that's for sure." He commented smiling at the pretty red headed woman before placing his hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry. She isn't some crazy murderer that has been let out or anything. She's a harmless young woman that has had a book published and her second one due."

"The imagination of writers, huh?"

"That's how you could phrase it." David laughed uncomfortable before thanking Bree for the meal.

***

"You have to be more careful with what you say, Helen!"

"They were patronising!"

"Helen, no one knows what you was once like. How could they have been patronising!?"

"You don't understand, David. They all looked their noses down at me because they're better than us. They can afford to live on this stinking hellhole. Well so can we after what we did for a living. We have a comfortable sum of money behind us…"

"that a rich relative left us when she died. Helen, why are you determined to get us caught?"

"Because we have been caught!"

The two of them glared at each other in silence before nodding.

"We have been caught."

***

Bree stood in her window and watched as their two silhouettes yelled at each other in the window. Something was odd between them two and she was going to find out. If it killed her.


	8. Crush

It had been a week since the dinner party and Helen had avoided hanging out in the street for too long so she wasn't attacked by any of the neighbours who were dying to have a friendly chat with her. She didn't know what was making her feel like this because normally she was a kind, caring person who did want to talk to anyone and everyone but recently she had become so kind of recluse and it made her beyond tired.

Standing at the window, safely hidden behind the nets, she watched as Lynette Scavo struggled to convince one of the twins to come down from the tree house so that she could get ready to go to work to help David and Tom because they'd rang her up desperate for a hand because the place was busier than normal. She was pleading but the boy was flat out refusing to go to the silly babysitter's because her house smelt like rotting vegetables and because there was no toys there for him and his sibling to play with.

Taking a deep breath, Helen left the house and ran over the road before calling Lynette's name. Lynette looked over at her and her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment at the fact that she hadn't realised that there had been anyone home because most of the other residents were at work. "You not at work today, Helen?"

"One of us always stays at home in case anyone rings with information about our babies." She said looking up at the tree at the cute ginger face grinning down at her. "I'm actually getting rather bored and if anyone rings they can leave a message on the machine so I was wondering if I could borrow your children."

"Why would you want to borrow my children?" Lynette asked knowing that Porter was immediately going to be interested because he had immediately liked the redheaded woman since the day she had moved in because he was in awe that she was in a relationship with a woman and because she gave the kids odd cookies that she claimed she couldn't eat because she had to watch her weight.

"I'm thinking about buying Lauren a puppy for when she gets out the hospital but I obviously need to think about what kind of dog Olivia and Grant would fall in love with so why not ask the woman with the most kids and plus your kids look like they could pick out a real decent dog for me." Helen said shrugging as she looked up again and noticed that Porter was starting to climb out the tree.

"Can we go help get a dog for the Hunter kids, mum?" He said clinging to her hand and bouncing around before turning to look at Helen. "We get to see lots of dogs."

"But only get to pick one and it's a big decision for me to make. I need your help if it's okay with mummy." She turned to look at Lynette who realised that Helen was trained to work with kids. What harm could come to them? Sighing, she nodded.

"As long as no dogs come home with them!" She warned Helen knowing how persuasive Preston and Porter could be when they were after something. "You want them all or shall I take some to the babysitters?"

"No. I can take them all. Don't you worry about a thing, Lynette." Helen said bending down and picking Porter up, smiling at him. "If they behave, I'll buy them ice cream."

"Wow, ice cream!" Lynette said moving inside the house to get the rest of the kids ready.

***

Stepping into the restaurant, Lynette kissed Tom's cheek before moving to put an apron on and when it was tied she waved over to David, who was in the back kitchen making some pizzas but he did manage to raise his hand in a short wave. "Where are the children?" Tom asked as he came up behind her to use the cash register.

"Helen took them out for a visit to pick a dog for Lauren."

"Oh that was nice of her. I thought you'd be ringing in and telling me that Porter wasn't going to go to the babysitters."

"I was close to doing that. I swear that boy is a demon." She laughed before noticing that a patron had his hand in the air so she grabbed her notepad and moved over to him, smiling brightly. "What may I get you?"

Lynette Scavo was the kind of woman that made everyone feel at ease when she was working because they could tell she was in control of her emotions and rarely lost the stress with anyone. Right now she'd just swept her long blonde hair into a bobble to keep the hair from flying onto her face as she looked down at her customer, her hand holding her notebook lightly as she smiled brightly.

She heard the bell of the door ring and she turned to see Dylan and Julie walking in. She raised her hand in a carefree wave before turning back to the customer and finishing his order. Moving over she smiled at the two daughters of her friends. "Shouldn't you girls be in school?"

"Dinner break." Julie replied in her sweet, innocent voice and Lynette just looked at her before nodding slowly.

"And you chose to come eat here?" Julie nodded in response before smiling at someone who approached behind.

"Come now, Lynette. Don't chase away our customers." The warm voice of David said and Lynette looked at the expressions on the young girls faces and she immediately worked out why they had trekked over here for their dinner. "I'll be their waiter." Lynette found it funny that David didn't appear to notice the affection that the two girls held for him and she couldn't see what they saw in him because he looked tired, his body looked unfed and everyone knew this was at the stress of him losing his whole family.

"That sounds okay with me." Lynette said in a dazed voice as she watched him lead them away, listening to their laughter as he told them something.

***

"Julie has a crush on David?" Susan said in shock as she poured Lynette a cup of coffee, her hand resting on her back as she thought through what Lynette was saying. "I can see why because he is a good looking guy but surely her and Dylan realise that he is a broken man now."

"His wife isn't dead, Susan. She comes home next week and the only thing wrong with her is that she kind of struggles to not have flashbacks!"

"What are you saying Lynette?" Susan asked as she sat down on one of the stools and shook her head. "Julie is a smart girl, she realises that she can't have anything to do with David. He is much older than she is and knows he has two children out there that we all believe will come home one day."

"How do you know that?" Lynette asked looking out the window to where David was sat on his porch swing, Cassy was walking up the garden path to him but he didn't even appear to notice because of the daze he was in over everything happening. "I don't think they'll be coming back now, Susan, or if they do. They're dead." She whispered hating what she was admitting because it was admitting defeat but no one took two children for this long and kept them alive. She could see that Helen knew this, that David inside knew this but no one would admit it. Everyone still believed in keeping faith.

***

"David, you can't sit out here all day. The sun isn't good for your skin and if Lauren ever caught you she'd go berserk!"

"Don't talk to me as if you understand who I am, Cassy. The only reason you are here is because you tricked Helen into believing that you loved her and she had the right to marry you when she didn't. She was happy with Hafid. You ruined her life. Get away from me." David spat as he stood up and moved inside his house, locking the door so she couldn't follow him inside.

Cassy just watched after him, tears falling down her cheeks as she realised that she had pretty much done that to Helen. She'd given her a choice and Helen hadn't wanted to lose her best friend. She sighed as she looked at the locked door, a smile forming on her lips as she realised that she had the biggest power of them all yet.

***

The sound of a car braking outside her house followed by the excited shouts of children and a happy bark of a dog hinted to Lynette that Helen had returned with the kids. Moving outside, she watched as Helen picked up Porter and span him around. There was a happy smile on her face that no one had seen since Lauren had been attacked and Lynette couldn't help but smile at its return.

"Did we get a cute dog?"

"We bought a sharpei puppy because Helen says they are Lauren's favourite!" Parker informed his mum before reaching in and picking up a wrinkly ball of fluff. He walked over and showed his mum. "Helen trusted me to hold it all the way home because Preston and Porter kept trying to squeeze it!" He said sadly stroking the dog. "Isn't he adorable mum?"

"He's gorgeous, Parker."

"Also because you said I wasn't allowed my own dog, Helen said I could help Lauren look after it because Lauren won't be strong enough to do it all by herself just yet."

"Now isn't that a caring thought." Lynette said rubbing the young boy's ginger hair before smiling at Helen. "Kids can you go inside a minute, I just want to talk to Helen a moment." She ordered watching as Parker lightly held the dog over to Helen, who took it off him just as gently.

"What's wrong, Lynette?" Helen asked the minute the kids were all inside. "I swear I'm not allowing them to get too attached to the puppy but Parker was the only one that really showed a caring interest and..."

"Parker is the sweet caring child but that isn't what I want to talk to you about." She looked around before taking a deep breath. "I don't know if I should be telling you this."

"What?"

"Julie Myers and Dylan Mayfair both have a slight crush on David."

There were a few moments of silence before Helen started to laugh. The laughter went on for a while before she started to shake her head, her hand covering her mouth as she tried to regain focus.

"Those two girls fancy David? Why? Surely they are more likely to fancy Carlos... A guy with money?"

"I'm sure they just have a thing for David because he is emotionally wounded." Lynette explained before moving over to Helen. "I was just wondering if you could have a word with him because he is still being charming and friendly like he always is and I don't want the girls to get hurt especially with Lauren coming home. I don't want Lauren thinking he was leading girls along while she was in hospital."

Helen looked over at the house and nodded. "Someone will talk to him. Don't worry."


End file.
